Nearby Words
adjective, -bler, -blest.
1.
quick and light in movement; moving with ease; agile; active; rapid: nimble feet.
2.
quick to understand, think, devise, etc.: a nimble mind.
3.
cleverly contrived: a story with a nimble plot.
Origin:
before 1000; late Middle English nymel, earlier nemel, Old English nǣmel capable, equivalent to nǣm- (variant stem of niman to take; see nim1) + -el -le
before 1000; late Middle English nymel, earlier nemel, Old English nǣmel capable, equivalent to nǣm- (variant stem of niman to take; see nim1) + -el -le
Related forms
nim·ble·ness, noun
nim·bly, adverb
un·nim·ble, adjective
un·nim·ble·ness, noun
un·nim·b·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1. lively, brisk, swift. 2. alert.
1. lively, brisk, swift. 2. alert.
Antonyms
1. clumsy.
1. clumsy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Nimbleness
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
Collins
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
nimble
"agile, light-footed," c.1300, nemel, from O.E. næmel "quick to grasp" (attested only once), related to niman "to take," from P.Gmc. *nemanan (cf. O.Du., Goth. niman, O.N. nema, O.Fris. nima, Ger. nehmen "to take"), from PIE base *nem- "to divide, distribute, allot" (cf. Gk. nemein "to deal out,"
EXPANDnemesis "just indignation," L. numerus "number," Lith. nuoma "rent, interest," M.Ir. nos "custom, usage"). With excrescent -b- from c.1500 (cf. limb).
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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